Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIGEC JOHN KERSHAVH OF KENT, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,347, dated June 15, 1869.

y part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view of the machine; Fig. 2, a view of the top; Fig. 3, a side view. Figs. 4 and 5 are detached sections.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views.

This invention has for its object the inclosin g of the driving-gear of a harvester entirely Within a case, thereby preventing it from becoming clogged by the out grass, and from receiving injury or causing injury to those operating it, the gearing being so' arranged that a more direct application of the power to the cutting apparatus is thereby obtained, and, furthermore, so hanging the cutter-bar as to obtain to it a vibratory movement, more fully described hereafter.

In Fig. 2, A represents a frame, in which the gearing is arranged. Said gearing consists of the main wheel B, a detachedview of which is shown in Fig. 5. The periphery of said wheel is inclosed in the case C, whereas the middle of the wheel is made close and of a dish-like shape, as shown in Fig. 6, which, together with the side of the case C, forms aprotection on one side for the gearing. The wheel alluded to is mounted upon the shaft D, Fig. 2, to which also are secured the drivin g-wheels E. Said wheels are each provided with a pawl and ratchet, F, Fig. 3, inclosed in the shell G, whereby the-wheels are disengaged from the shaft on backing the machine, thereby preventing the working of the machinery.

H', Fig. 1, a detached view of which is shown in Fig. 5, is a transfer-wheel, secured to the shaft I, and operated by the main wheel B, by means ofthe bevel-wheel J engaging in said wheel, and operated thereby, as will hereinafter be shown. On the inner end of shaft I is keyed a pinion-wheel, K, also indicated by the dotted lines a., Fig. 2. Said pinion is made. to engage the transfer-wheel Il. To the outer end of the shaft is keyed the crankwheel L, whereby the knives M are operated, by means of the pitman N. The immediate connection of the pitman to the cutter-bar is made by the staple b, Fig. 2, pivoted to the cutter-bar by a hook, c, in which it works, and to the rod by the cross-bar d, in which the shanks of the staple are conned. The rod enters the bar between the shanks, and is thereto secured in a free manner, so that a flexible connection is obtained.

The cross-bar is secured to the staple by means of the nuts c e, whereby the rod and bar are brought to bear against the block interposed between the bar and hook, thereby preventing too much freedom in the lateral movement of the connection.

The Enger-bar is so connected to the machine that there is given to it a vibratory movement, so that the points of the guards L are allowed to move upward, so that on passing over uneven ground the points of the guards will not catch or run into the dirt. This vertical movement is obtained by means of a ball-and-socket joint, a, Fig. 2.

The ball, as will be observed, projects from the rear side ot' the shoe O, arranged between the arms of the stay or coupling brace P, a socket being formed on the inside of the rear arm for the reception of the ball. b is a lugwrist, pivoted to the opposite side of the shoe, as indicated by the dotted lines c. Said lug is fitted in a guide, Q, forming the inside of the front arm of the stay, and in which the lug is free to move upward or downward, as the un- Y evenness of the ground may affect the front side of the Enger-bar, and guards the balland-socket joint, answering as a pivot for such vertical movement. 'Io the shoe or clamp just referred to the end of the iinger-bar is secured by means of the bolt d.

It will be obvious that by this means of connectin g the fingerbar to the stay the said bar can be elevated, as indicated by the line e, Fig. l, thereby allowing it to pass close to stumps, stones, or other obstructions in the course of its work, thus giving to the fingerbar a flexible connection to the machine, whereby it can adapt itself to the unevenness of the ground, and be lifted up to the position indicated by the line c, above referred to.

The horizontal elevation of the finger-bar, for the purpose of avoiding obstructions and liloving from place to place, is effected by means of a rack alid wheel, 1i S, Fig. 3, a detached view of which is shown ill Fig. 4. The wheel referred to is provided with all arln, S', to the extreme end of which is attached a chain, T, the opposite end of said chain being connected to the stay I or arm A', of which the stay forms the lower or free end, as seen in Fig. 2. Said wheel is attached to the rack by means of a bolt passing through a slot therein, alld in which the bolt slides as the wheel is operated in the rack by liieaiis of the lever alid pawl 1l' C'.

Thus the finger-bar, as represented in Figs. 1 and 3, is upon thc groulid. In this position the Wlleel S is at the lower end of the slot It'. Now, on depressing the end of the lever B', attached to the wheel S, said wheel will roll upward by virtue of its en gageliieiit with the rack, thereby carrying up the arni S', which will elevate the dragbar, it beilig connected to the arln by lllealis of the chain, as above said.

When thus lifted from the ground it is se cured at any particular height by means of the pawl C', Fig. 4, attached to the lever B'. Said pawl is operated bythe supplementary lever E', to which it is connected bythe link F, said supplementary lever being pivoted to the lever B', and actuated in conjunction therewith and with the spring h.

The finger-bar, on heilig thus elevated, as indicated by the lilies F, will pass clear of an v ordinary obstruction; or the liiacliilie can now be run frolil place to place with the couplingbrace and cutter-bar free of the ground, to which it can be immediately dropped, by simply depressing the arm of the supplellientary lever E' which will disengage the pawl from the ratchet-wheel alid allow the wheel S to descend alid the bar to collie to the ground, as before. This lnachilie is thrown ilito alid ollt of gear by means of the clutch G', actuated by the lever H', the sailie being operated by the foot of the driver while nloulited upon the seat I'.

J is a link, whereby the cutter and finger bars are retained ill a vertical position, as indicated by the dotted lille K', Fig. 2, in which positioli it is elevated for the greater coliveliience of transportation from field to field. L' is a brace, whereby the coupling-brace and arm are secured to the machine, and prevented from lateral displacement.

Access is had to the inside or gearing for oilillg, &c., through the door M', which forlns a section of the top of the machine. In Fig. 1 said door is shown as being open, disclosing a portion of the gearing.

It will be seen that all the gearing of this machine is inclosed; hence there can be no clogging of the wheels in consequence of the cut grass becoming caught up by the wheels, which, in the ordinary machine, is of common occurrence, as the gearing below the fra-me is more or less exposed, and therefore liable to take ilp the cut grass on passing over it.

This liiacliine is strong and simple in its construction and arrangement, hence is not liable to become out of order if arranged with ordinary care alid skill. The working gearing all heilig iliclosed, as above described, makes the machine safe, so that those operating it cannot get injured by becolning caught in it, nor, as before said, can the gearing become clogged by the cut grass.

The simple arrangement of the gearing is silch that it works freely and with little loss of power by friction; hence the machine will Work with ease and facility.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement and combination of the wheel B, case C, and door or top M', for the pui-pose set forth.

2. The staple b, bar d, and block f, in conlbination with the hooks c, pitman, and cutter bar, constructed and arranged in the manner alid for the purpose set forth.

3. The ball-and-socket joint a, pivoted lug or wrist b', in combination with the shoe 0 alid coupling-brace P, constructed and arranged in the lnanner and for the purpose set forth.

4. The rack R, wheel S, ratchet alld paw] D C', and levers B' E', all arranged alld combilied to operate in the manner as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN KERSHAVV. 'itnesses:

V. B. J Enns, J. E. KERSHAW. 

